NBA Draft: Top 5 classes of all time
The NBA Draft has always been an exciting event, no matter the year in which it is held. The prospect of young players coming in and potentially shaking up the league, as LeBron James did, is a tantalizing one for everyone in the NBA community. However, in the rich history of the NBA, some draft classes are generally regarded as stronger than others.
On that note, let us have a look at the top five NBA Draft classes of all time.
NBA Draft: Top 5 classes in the history of the league
For the sake of simplicity, we have only considered the elite players that have come out of the NBA Draft over the years. The list includes superstars and top-tier role players, some of whom are still active in the competition.
Without further ado, let's get started.
#5 Class of 1985
The first-ever NBA Draft with the 'lottery' system - the class of 1985 - is also one of the best of all time in the history of the competition.
This draft class brimmed with stars like Patrick Ewing, Detlef Schrempf, Joe Dumars, and 'the Mailman' Karl Malone, to name a few.
This NBA draft set the tone for countless drafts that followed, and it is truly fitting that this draft class is considered as one of the strongest of all time.
#4 Class of 1981
The NBA Draft class of 1981 had Mark Aguire as the first overall pick. However, with the second pick Isiah Thomas going on to become a 12-time All-Star and a two-time champion, the decision to pick Aguire as the first pick looked like a massive mistake in hindsight.
This draft class also included the likes of Danny Ainge and Rolando Blackman, with the latter going on to become a franchise legend for the Dallas Mavericks.
Overall, the draft class of 1981 had it all - top-tier role players, a plethora of stars and a handful of superstars - making it one of the strongest classes in the history of the NBA.